Sydney Sweeney Joins Bronco's Off-Roadeo Experience: 'Felt Like the Coolest Version of Myself' (Exclusive)

"I hope I inspire more girls to try things that might not be what they were told is for girls," the actress told PEOPLE after a day of off-roading in Moab, Utah

This ain't Sydney Sweeney's first rodeo.

In late September, the Euphoria actress, 26, joined Ford Motor Company — whom she has an ongoing partnership with — in the red rock wonderland that is Moab, Utah, for their Bronco Off-Roadeo experience, a program that was designed to teach Bronco owners how to drive the cars off-roading. While on the trail, Sweeney got to show off her expert skills behind the wheel, navigating obstacles like a a 28-degree side slope at one point.

"Today I felt like the coolest version of myself," Sweeney told PEOPLE during a fireside chat after the day of driving. "I need everyone to come see me do this, because I feel like I'll earn some cool points. When you're on the road, it makes you feel like, 'Oh, I can do anything.'"

For those who already own a qualifying Ford Bronco or Bronco Sport, the full-day, 10-hour Off-Roadeo experience is complimentary. And now, for the first time, Off-Roadeo will be accessible to the general public with their Half-Day Adventure program (starting at $795 per vehicle, which can accommodate up to four guests). The abbreviated four-hour experience is guided by an expert trail guide and suited for drivers of all skill levels.

Related: Sydney Sweeney Shows Off the 1969 Ford Bronco She Completely Restored: 'I've Done Everything'

Currently, Off-Roadeo is offered in three locations: Las Vegas, Moab and Horseshoe Bay, Texas. In spring 2024, it will also be offered in Gilford, New Hampshire.

An adventure junkie who grew up in nature-filled Spokane, Washington, Sweeney had unsurprisingly been off-roading before her trip to Moab.

"The Pacific Northwest is all mountains, trees, and lakes, so there's a lot of trails that you can go riding on," she says. "My parents never wanted me inside, so I grew up outside with my imagination, playing around. My parents put me behind the wheel the moment that I could grab onto a wheel."

As Sweeney later notes, that was age four.

"My papa would stand me up on his lap and let me drive up his driveway when I was four years old," she says. "I still have very vivid memories of doing that with him."

When she got older, Sweeney learned how to drive with her grandpa's manual Ford F-100.

"My mom didn't let me drive an automatic until I actually got my license," she says. "My mom taught me how to drive stick on the country roads. She would pull over and tell me, 'Get out of the car. You have to go change the tire.' I'm like, 'Nothing's wrong with the tire.' 'You got to know how to change a tire.' My mom's really good at putting me in situations where I don't know what to do, and then I have to figure it out. She taught me how to push through that fear and conquer it, and I'm so glad that I did."

Even now, Sweeney finds that her knowledge of driving stick shift comes in handy.

"When you're doing a film, sometimes they'll have us do testing to see what driving experience you have," she says. "I pull out that I know how to drive manual and they're like, 'What?' It's really fun."

Related: Sydney Sweeney Will Star in Remake of 1968's 'Barbarella': 'Time to Save the Universe'

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Sweeney was inspired to test her mechanical skills by restoring a vintage 1969 Bronco.

"During quarantine I needed a project because my mind always needs to do something creative," she says. "I got a 1969 Ford Bronco, and I was like, 'I'm going to learn how to fix this up.' I knew how to change a tire and check oil and all your fluids and jumpstart a car, but actually getting underneath the carriage and taking apart different pieces? I didn't know how to do any of that. My best friend's dad builds and restores cars, and I called him up and I was like, 'Hey. I really, really want to do this. Do you think that you could help me learn?' He was kind enough to let me bring my Bronco in, and every step along the way, he showed me what to do. He's like a dad to me, and he'd tell me and then be like, 'All right, you got to do it now. Get your hands dirty.' It challenged me in so many ways."

After getting the car successfully running, Sweeney eventually installed an automatic transmission, much to her mom's dismay.

"I drove it around for a couple of months, and it was manual," she says. "People just don't really respect manual vintage cars as much as I think that they should. Whenever I was on the canyons, they'd be right up behind you. I was like, 'I want to drive this and enjoy it,' so I changed the transmission to automatic. I think my mom is so mad at me still to this day. But I drive it everywhere now."

Mom also wasn't too happy about her choice of license plate.

"My license plate is HEY SYD," she says with a laugh. "My mom goes, 'That's very discreet.' I'm like, 'Everyone knows, Mom. It's fine.' On my next car, I think I'm going to do BYE SYD."

It's indeed a well-known secret, as Sweeney posted video updates to her @syds_garage TikTok page every step of the restoration process, eventually gaining a following of 1.6 million.

"It blew up," she says. "What's crazy is I started videoing because my parents wanted me to send them videos, like, 'What are you doing to this car?' I was like, 'I can't send you guys videos every single time,' so it was more of, 'I'll create these cute little videos and then send my parents the link so that it's easy to show them what I'm doing.' Whenever I'd see the comments, [it was like], 'You look a lot like [her Euphoria character] Cassie,' or 'You look a lot like Sydney Sweeney.' I'm like, 'That is me!'"

Related: Sydney Sweeney Was 'Not' into Makeup Before 'Euphoria' : 'I Could Barely Figure Out Eyeliner'

Sweeney also says she'd get comments underestimating her abilities, a problem many female mechanics face as they account for just 2.1 percent of all the mechanics in the U.S. "I'd get the comments like, 'Oh, I bet you just fixed the mirror.' I'm like, 'Go check!'"

It's wise to never underestimate Sweeney's talents — just look at her career. A year after gaining recognition for her roles in season 2 of Hulu's The Handmaid's Tale and in the Netflix series Everything Sucks in 2018, Sweeney had her breakthrough moment in Euphoria. Since then, she's taken on a wide range of roles, from the cynical White Lotus guest Olivia Mossbacher in 2021 to portraying the real life whistleblower Reality Winner in the film Reality earlier this year.

Last month, she took yet another career turn when she embodied an '80s video vixen in the Rolling Stones' music video for their song "Angry."

"Being able to bring my mom to London to meet the Rolling Stones I think scored a lot of good points there," she says. "It was just amazing seeing her face light up. It was really cool. Just everybody idolizes these guys."

Next, Sweeney will show off her comedy chops in the film Anyone But You (also starring Glen Powell) premiering Dec. 22.

This past September, Sweeney brought to life an '80s prom for her 26th birthday. She even designed the pink dress she wore for the occasion herself.

"I put together a whole mood board, drew up what I wanted, picked a fabric, and then my tailor, he [made] it for me," she says.

Related: Sydney Sweeney Celebrates Her Birthday with ‘80s Prom-Themed Party

Previously, Sweeney launched a workwear collaboration with Ford which sold out in just over 24 hours. But her next design projects are centered around her new home.

"I'm remodeling some stuff in my house, and I'm legit designing it all and loving it," she says. "I love HGTV. Honestly, it's so funny. The amount that I fan-girled when I saw [Property Brothers' Jonathan and Drew Scott], it was crazy. I was so embarrassed."

At home she's also busy with her beloved dog Tank, whom she adopted when she was 17.

"I was visiting my great grandma, and she loves going to rescue shelters," she says. "She would volunteer and hang out with the dogs, and she'd end up rescuing a lot of them. She would take me whenever I'd go to visit and I really, really wanted a dog. I ended up rescuing Tank. I remember driving home, because she lived in Arizona, and it was just Tank I. It was our first trip and I was like, 'Oh my God, my parents are going to kill me.' I snuck her in. I put her on my bed, and I went to my parents' room. I was like, 'Okay, Mom, you got to come into my room. I got something to tell you.' I brought her in and she got so mad at me. But of course she loves Tank now. She wants to take Tank from me. She's her best friend."

Sweeney and Tank last went on a road trip together last summer, when Sweeney had to travel cross-country from Idaho to Boston for a job.

"It was the most beautiful drive," she says. "I was listening to a lot of audiobooks because I like to read. I love a good thriller. You're trying to solve it, so your brain's still active and not zoning out."

On a day off, Sweeney says she loves to take Tank in her Bronco for a drive around L.A.

"We'll drive to the beach, and we'll get ice cream and then we'll drive up the coast," she says. "There's this really cool hike that I like to go on that overlooks the ocean, and she loves that one too. Then we'll drive back down, and I'll find a place so we can go run on the beach, and then I'll drive back home."

Since partnering with Ford, Sweeney says she's heard more of her young female fans say they want to get into the STEM programs in their schools.

"It's really awesome," she says. "I hope that I inspire more girls to try things that might not be what they were told is for girls. I want them to dream as big as possible because there's so much to do in this world."

Sweeney teases another car project in her future, but she's keeping it under wraps ... for now. "It's not a Ford, but it's a secret," she says with a smile. "And I can't wait to share it."

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